Argentina defeated England 2-1 in the 2026 World Cup semi-final at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on July 15, 2026, with kickoff at 20:00 BST (15:00 local time) [1, 2, 3]. England took the lead 10 minutes into the second half through Anthony Gordon, but Argentina equalised in the 85th minute with a goal by Enzo Fernandez off a Lionel Messi pass. Lautaro Martinez scored a stoppage-time header to seal the win for Argentina [2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 3].
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni praised his team’s fighting spirit and resilience. "This group is difficult to explain. It is a show of the collectiveness, the brotherhood that we are in, the fight to the very end that we have," he said [3]. He noted that Argentina "smelled blood in the water" after England sat back following their 1-0 lead and urged his team to push forward [2]. Scaloni declined to mix the match’s outcome with the 1982 Falklands War, stating, "I can't mix things up, especially out of respect for what happened so many years ago. It was a very sad period in our history, and there isn't much we can do about it, that's the reality" [1].
Lionel Messi has been a standout in the tournament, scoring eight goals to share the top scorer spot alongside Kylian Mbappe [1, 9, 10]. Messi described the victory as "quite a special one, especially playing against England with all the historical context" and praised his teammates' character [11, 8]. Argentina’s path to the semi-final included overcoming a two-goal deficit against Egypt in the knockout stage, showing their resilience under pressure [2, 5, 6, 3].
Argentina have won two World Cups and three Copa Americas under Scaloni since 2018, gaining valuable experience in handling high-stakes matches [9, 10]. The team is frequently described as fearless, competitive, and united with a family spirit [2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 3]. Scaloni said, "I honestly think this team plays its best football when it's under pressure" [7].
Argentina will face Spain in the World Cup final on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey [2, 5, 8, 3].
